MUSI 406: COUNTRY MUSIC Instructor: Dan Beller-McKenna [email protected] 603-862-1667 Paul Creative Arts Center M-116 Music Department University of New Hampshire 30 Academic Way Durham, NH 03824
Purpose and Description This course surveys the rich musical, cultural, and commercial history of country music in the United States. Since its inception, country music has embodied a tension between tradition and progress. Whereas the industry has consistently highlighted tradition as a value (through lyrical, musical, graphic, and other means), it has nevertheless constantly embraced new technologies in order to maintain market share and commercial viability. Country music thereby reflects a basic feature of the American story, valorizing our history while valuing social and technological development. Throughout the course, we will consider this tension as it affects the musical content and cultural meaning of country music.
You will gain a broad knowledge of country music on three levels: 1) Through assigned listening examples and directed listening exercises, you will develop the ability to aurally identify different eras in the history of country music, different sub- styles (western swing, the Nashville Sound, Alt-Country, etc.), and different instruments that are used in the performance of various country music styles. 2) Through powerpoint lectures and reading from a central text and a weekly scholarly essay (a book chapter or journal article), you will learn the important concepts, people, and terminology associated with the musical styles of country music as well as the commercial recording/performing industry that has fostered country music since the 1920s. 3) Through weekly blogs on assigned listening and related material you will synthesize your ability to recognize and analyze the sound of country music with their awareness of the cultural and economic forces that helped determine the style, sound, and form of those recordings. Music 406 fulfills the Fine and Performing Arts category in the Discovery Program. I have selected the content and designed the structure of the course to reflect the goals of Discovery. Among other principles the following statement on disciplinary breadth from the Discovery Web site applies strongly in this course:
“Each course in the Discovery Program fulfills an obligation not only to its own field but also to the others that make up the organization of modern knowledge. Courses in the proposed categories introduce students to the primary questions, methods and perspectives of the field or discipline; and they encourage students to understand the connections among different disciplines and fields of study.”
Texts and Materials As this course is conducted entirely on-line, you will need reliable access to a computer with broadband or DSL connection. You may also need to download some apps (Java, Shockwave, etc.) to fully engage all of the features of Canvas and streaming media There is a required textbook for the course: Jocelyn Neal, Country Music: A Cultural and Stylistic History. Oxford University Press, ISBN 9780199730599 This book can be purchased in hard copy from Amazon,com, Barnse&Noble.com, or directly from the publisher. Copies may also be available from the Durham Book Exchange and the UNH Bookstore. An ebook is available through redshelf.com. All listening will be available through the course Youtube playlist, and all reading outside the textbook will be available either as pdf files on the Canvas course site or accessible through web links. Some videos will need to be purchased or rented from a vendor like Amazon or Netflix. The movies we will view are: O, Brother, Where Art Thou? May be available on Youtube The Women of Rockabilly: Welcome to the Club Available on Youtube Tender Mercies Not available on Youtube Urban Cowboy Not available on Youtube
Requirements General: You should understand that this five-week summer course will cover the same amount of material that would normally be covered in a 15-week semester course. Logistically, therefore, you will be expected to do three times more work in a given week on this course as you would for a semester-long one. Past students’ experiences dictate that it will be very hard to keep up if you are holding down a job or taking another class during the course. Reading/Listening: Each day during the five-week course you are to listen to a brief powerpoint lecture that focuses on the main points from the assigned reading and briefly introduces one or more listening examples mentioned in the text. You will also listen to a selection of related recordings (usually @ eight per day) and read a selection from the textbook. Most weeks there will also be an assigned essay from outside the textbook. Although I have assigned specific pages from the textbook for specific days, there are always one or two days at the ends of weeks with no textbook assignment, and it may be possible to spread your reading throughout the week. Viewing: For each of the first four weeks of the course you will view a movie on a country music theme. When possible, these will be made available through Youtube, but you may need to rent or purchase one or more of these movies. For each movie, I will assign a related reading from outside the textbook Additionally, there will be occasional informational video to watch, also via Youtube. Some of these will be instructional demonstrations of particular instruments or country music styles. Others will be performances that I will discuss in the PowerPoint Lectures. All of the assigned Youtube videos will be made available through the course Youtube playlist. Song Blog-Posts: At least once a week (sometimes twice) you will either choose one of the assigned listening items or find a similar song and write a “blog” of 250-500 words on it. Blogs will take the form of “Replies” to a Discussion thread in Canvas. Additionally, each time you post a blog, you are required to post comments on the posts of two of your classmates. A more complete description of the blog post assignments, how to find non-assigned songs, and how the blogs will be graded is available under Assignments on the Canvas site. Short Paper Assignments: There are two short (2-3 page) papers assigned in the course. These will allow you to apply what you are learning to material not covered in the textbook or other assigned readings, listening, or viewing. You will have the option of taking a final exam in place of the second paper. Exams: There will be a “mid-term” and a final exam, both to be taken on line. These will include a mixture of short identifications, listening tasks (identifying style traits, etc.), and essays. You will have the option of writing a second paper in place of the final exam.
Grading Exams 40% Blog Posts 30% Short Papers 30%
Course Structure Canvas (mycourses.unh.edu) is the learning management tool we use for this course. The course is online and asynchronous, and it is organized by modules. My Schedule I will be active in the Canvas class area daily, Monday through Friday. I login early in the morning and again in the evening. If you post a question for me in a Forum on a weekday, anticipate a response within twelve hours. On Weekends, I may not login at a regular time. If you post late on Friday or anytime Saturday, I might not respond until Sunday evening.
How to Reach Me: Questions related to the reading, listening, or assignments should first be asked, if possible, in the respective discussion forums. I will, however, try to respond to emails on the same day they are sent.
Academic Honesty (from the UNH 2012-13 Handbook on Student Rights, Rules, Responsibilities)
Honesty is a core value at the University of New Hampshire. The members of its academic community both require and expect one another to conduct themselves with integrity. This means that each member will adhere to the principles and rules of the University and pursue academic work in a straightforward and truthful manner, free from deception or fraud. Any attempts to deviate from these principles will be construed as acts of academic dishonesty and will be dealt with according to the rules of due process outlined below. The value of honesty and the expectation of conduct that goes with it are intended to reinforce a learning environment where students and faculty can pursue independent work without unnecessary restraints. At the same time, the University recognizes its responsibility to encourage and inculcate values and standards of conduct that will guide its students throughout their careers.
For the purposes of this course, please note section 09.1 “Written Classroom Examinations.”
UNH Office of Disability Services for Students The University is committed to providing students with documented disabilities equal access to all university programs and facilities. If you think you have a disability requiring accommodations, you must register with Disability Services for Students (DSS). Contact DSS at (603) 862-2607 or [email protected]. If you have received Accommodation Letters for this course from DSS, please provide me with that information so that we can review those accommodations.
COURSE OUTLINE Introduction
Introduction and Outlines of the course and the text; listening skills Neal: xv-xxii overview Week 1: Origins and expansion (Neal Part I)
Topic Assigned Listening Reading M The early years of Fiddlin’ John Carson, “Little Old Log Cabin in the Neal: 1-33 6/24 Country Music Lane” Uncle Dave Macon, “Way Down the Old Plank Road” “Aunt” Samantha Bumgarner, “ and Eva Davis “Big Eyed Rabbit” Ernest and Hattie Stoneman, “Mountaineer’s Courtship” Moonshine Kate, “My Man’s a Jolly Railroad Man” T The Big Bang of Carter Family, “Keep on the Sunny Side” Neal: 37-59 6/25 Country Music “ “, “Wildwood Flower” Video: Carter Picking “ “, “Can the Circle be Unbroken” Jimmie Rodgers, “Blue Yodel (T for Texas)” “ “, “ Waiting for a Train” “ “, “In the Jailhouse Now” (Uncle Tupelo, “No Depression”)
W Innovation and Delmore Brothers, “Brown’s Ferry Blues” Neal: 65-92 6/26 Change Roy Acuff, “Great Speckled Bird” Patsy Montana. “I want to be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart” Bob Wills, “New San Antonio Rose” “ “, “Stay All Night” Tex Ritter, “Get Along Little Doggies” Sons of the Pioneers, “Tumbling Tumbleweed” (The Time Jumpers, “New Star Over Texas”)
TH Early Country Film: O, Brother, Where Art Thou? Sean Chadwell, 6/27 Music at the “Inventing that ‘Old- Movies Timey’ Style: Southern Authenticity in O Brother, Where art Thou?”
Neal: 424-426 World War II And After (Neal Part II)
Topic Assigned Listening Reading F Honky Tonk Eddy Arnold, “Bouquet of Roses” Neal: 97-118; 133-134 6/28 Lefty Frizzell,, “If you’ve got the Money” Webb Pierce, “Slowly” Hank Thompson, “The Wild Side of Life” Kitty Wells, “It Wasn’t God who Made Honky- Tonk Angels” Hank Williams, “Hey Good Lookin’”
“ “ “Jambalaya” Patsy Cline. “Turn the Cards Slowly” (Hank Williams III, “Pills I took”) Week 2 World War and After (Neal Part II; cont.)
M Rockabilly Doug and Rusty Kershaw, “Diggy Diggy Lo” Neal: 118-132; 137-139 7/1 Revolution Elvis Presley, “Blue Moon of Kentucky” Johnny Cash, “Blue Train” Carl Perkins, “Honey Don’t” Wanda Jackson, “I gotta Know” (Dale Watson, “Down, Down, Down”)
T The Birth of Bill Monroe, “Blue Moon of Kentucky” Neal: 145-170 7/2 Bluegrass “ “ “Walls of Time” Osborne Brothers, “Rocky Top” Video: Mandolin and Flatt and Scruggs, “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” Five-String Banjo (Alison Krauss and Union Station, “Mama Cried”) W Brothers and Sisters Delmore Borthers, “Blues Stay Away From Me” Neal: 92-95 7/3 Blue Sky Boys, “Katie Dear” Stanley Brothers, “Angel Band” McDonald, “Principle Louvin Brothers, “ When I Stop Dreaming” Influences on the Music of the Lilly Brothers”
TH No Assignments: Fourth of July 7/4 F Rockabilly and Film: The Women of Rockabilly: Welcome to the Club Neely, “Charlene 7/5 Gender Arthur: The Unmaking of a Honky-Tonk Star.”
Week 3: Coast to Coast (Neal Part III)
Topic Assigned Listening Reading M The Nashville Patti Page “Tennessee Waltz” Neal: 175-200 7/8 Sound and Musical Patsy Cline, “Walkin’ After Midnight” (1957) Innovation Patsy Cline, “Walkin’ After Midnight” (1961) Jim Reeves, “He’ll Have to Go” Ray Price, “Night Life” Marty Robbins “El Paso” Faron Young, “Hello Walls”
T Bakersfield and Buck Owens, “Under Your Spell Again” Neal: 211-233 7/9 Country Rock “ “ , “Crying Time” Video: Pedal steel Merle Haggard, “Lonesome Fugitive” guitar “ “ , “Mama Tried” The Byrds, “Hickory Wind Poco, “You Better Think Twice” The Eagles, “Ol’ 55”
W Classic Country George Jones, “The Race is On” Neal: 239-262 7/10 Johnny Paycheck, “(Pardon Me) I've Got Someone To Kill” Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner, “Just Someone I used to Know” Loretta Lynn, “Don’t Come Home a Drinkin’” Conway Twitty, “Linda on My Mind” Tammy Wynette, “D-I-V-O-R-C-E” Charley Pride, “Just Between You and Me” (Amber Digby, “You Put Me Here”)
TH 7/11 Exam 1
F Cosmic American The Byrds, “You Don’t Miss Your Water” Allen, “I Just Want to 7/12 Music The Flying Burrito Brothers, “Wheels” Be A Cosmic Cowboy” “ “ , “Hot Burrito #2” Gram Parsons, “A Song for You” “ “ “Return of the Grievous Angel” Townes van Zandt, “If I needed You” Neil Young, “Harvest” The Rolling Stones, “Sweet Virginia” (Son Volt, “Windfall”)
Week 4: Neal Part III(continued)
Topic Assigned Listening Reading M Outlaw Country Waylon Jennings, “Good Old Boys” Neal: 271-294 7/15 and Southern Rock Willie Nelson, “On The Road Again” Rebellion Johnny Cash, “Sunday Morning Coming Down” Jerry Jeff Walker, “L.A. Freeway” Guy Clark, “Desperados Waiting for a Train” David Alan Coe, “London Homesick Blues” Allman Brothers, “Ramblin’ Man” Hank Williams Jr., “Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound”
Expansion: Country Makes it Big-Time (Neal Part IV)
T Urban Cowboys Ronnie Millsap, “Pure Love” Neal: 301-324 7/16 and Countrypolitan Eddie Rabbitt, “Drivin’ My Life Away” Video: Line Dancing Anne Murray, “Could I have This Dance” More Johnny Lee, “Lookin’ For Love in all the Wrong Places” Kenny Rogers, “The Gambler”
W Film: Urban Cowboy Neal: 324-326 7/17 Bracket” Banjos, Biopics, and Compilation Scores,” pp. 259-263
TH Neotraditionalists George Strait, “Does Fort Worth Even Cross Your Neal: 333-354 7/18 Mind?” Rocky Skaggs, “Highway 40 Blues” Dwight Yoakam, “Johnson’s Love” Alan Jackson, “Don’t Rock the Jukebox” Randy Travis, “On The Other Hand” K. D. Lang, “Three Days” Mark Chesnutt, “Somebody Save the Honky-Tonks”
F The Commercial Garth Brooks, “The Dance” Neal: 361-387 7/19 Country Explosion Lee Ann Womack, “I Hope You Dance” Brook and Dunn, “Neon Moon” Martina McBride, “Independence Day” Faith Hill, “The Kiss”
Week 5: Country Music Navigates Genre
Topic Assigned Listening Reading M Alternative Country Uncle Tupelo, “Still Be Around” Neal: 395-413 7/22 and Americana Whiskeytown, “Midway Park” Son Volt, “Tear Stained Eye” Ryan Adams, “My Winding Wheel” Gillian Welch, “Orphan Girl” Hank Williams III, “Straight to Hell T Return of Roots and Gretchen Wilson, “Redneck Woman” Neal: 433-448 7/23 Rednecks Miranda Lambert, “Gunpowder and Lead” Big and Rich,”Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” Little Big Town, “Little White Church” Luke Bryan, “Rain is a Good Thing”
W Modern Country Dixie Chicks, “Wide Open Spaces” Neal: 458-461 7/24 Politics: “ “ “Landslide” The Dixie Checks “ “ “Without You” and Toby Keith “ “ “Goodbye Earl” Watson and Burns, “ “ “Not Ready to Make Nice” “Resisting exile and Toby Keith, “A Little Less Talk” asserting musical “Beer for My Horses” voice: the Dixie “ “ “I Love this Bar” Chicks are 'Not Ready “ “ “Who’s That Man” to Make Nice'” “ “ “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” TH Breaking Borders Chris Young - "Raised on Country" (2019) Neal: 469-480 7/25 "Tequila"- Dan and Shay (2018) Midland, “Drinking Problem” Florida Georgia Line, “Lifer” Big Town, “Girl Crush” Jason Aldeen, “Dirt Road Anthem” Hardy, “Rednecker” F 7/26 Final Exam
Bibliography
Allen, Michael. "I Just Want to Be a Cosmic Cowboy: Hippies, Cowboy Code, and the Culture of a Counter-Culture.” Westernn Historical Quarterly 36 (2005): 275-99. Brackett, David. "Banjos, Biopics, and Compilation Scores: The Movies Go Country." American Music 19/3 (2001): 247-90. Chadwell, Sean. “Inventing that ‘Old Tomey Style: Southern Authenticity in O Brother, Where Art Thou?” Journal of Popular Film and Television 32/1: 2-9. McDonald, James J. “Principal Influences on the Music of the Lilly Brothers of Clear Creek, West Virginia.” Journal of American Folklore 86/342 (1973): pp. 331-344. Neal, Jocelyn. Country Music: A Cultural and Stylistic History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012. Neely, Emily “Charlene Arthur: The Unmaking of a Honky-Tonk Star.” Southern Cultures 8/3, Fall 2002: 86-96.
Sanjek, David. “Can a Fukiyama Mama be the Female Elvis: The Wild, Wild Women of Rockabilly.” In Sheila Whitely, ed. Sexing the Groove:Popular Music and Gender. London: Routledge, 1997. 137-67. Smith, Grady. “Country Brodown: Every Truck, Beer, Jeans, Moonlight, and 'Girl' Reference On The Current Chart.” Entertainment Weekly 18 October 2013. Watson, Jada and Burns, Lori. “Resisting Exile and Asserting Musical Voice: The Dixie Chicks Are ‘Not Ready To Make Nice’.” Popular Music 29/3 (2010): 325 – 350.